1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lubricant compositions and methods of making and using the lubricant compositions and, more particularly, to slide way lubricant compositions and methods of making and using the same.
2. Description of the Related Art
In industrial manufacturing processes, a way table (or way slide) is commonly used to move a work piece between machining stations. A way table is typically mounted on a carriage having bearing surfaces lubricated with a way lubricant. The carriage moves on slide-ways engaged to the carriage in a parallel fashion on the bearing surfaces. The bearings are also known in the industry as flat bearings, and they include slides, guides, and ways on machine tools.
Metal working operations generally use coolants. As such, the way table is mounted above a coolant reservoir into which the metal working coolants flow. By the very nature of their chemistry, the coolants are capable of dissolving oils. The dissolved oils are mainly way lubricants which are washed off the flat bearings, becoming dissolved into the coolant fluid. Because of their high degree of sulfur and phosphorus content, conventional way lubricants create ideal conditions for bacterial and fungal growth in the coolant, thereby degrading the coolant and creating an environment that can affect the workers safety by causing, e.g., dermatitis and respiratory ailments. Moreover, this creates a condition that contributes to increased waste water and waste oil quantities. There is, therefore, a need for an improved way lubricant which contains less sulfur and phosphorus than conventional way lubricants, while still performing up to industry standards.
Way lubricants preferably exhibit excellent boundary lubrication, possess properties which prevent metal to metal contact even under extreme pressure, and have good adherence to the metallic surfaces while in a flooded condition caused by the continued circulation of the metal working coolant over the lubricant. Due to its chemical nature, the coolant exhibits a cleaning action, thereby washing the lubricant into the coolant reservoir. Not only does the coolant wash the lubricant away from the metallic surfaces, the pressure exerted on the bearing surface by the weight of the way table forces the lubricant away from the bearing surfaces. The reduced level of way lubricant on the bearings creates chatter or stick/slip conditions and reduces machine and tool performance. There is, therefore, a need for an improved way lubricant which has better adherence to the metal surfaces even under high pressures and coolant-flooded conditions.
Therefore, the present invention seeks to provide an improved slide way lubricant which contains less sulfur and phosphorus than conventional way lubricants, while exhibiting a better adherence to the metal surfaces even under high pressures and coolant-flooded conditions. Methods of making and using these improved slide way lubricants are disclosed which are also advantageous.